The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1887-10-27
CAN SHE TRUST HIM?


Inez Claire turned her naughty dark
face from the gypsy, and crossed the
sward to where her lover and her
cousin stood.
..What did she tell you, that your
lips curl so, Inez?" asked Roy Alton
with smile; lone would almost fancy
the old witch had tried to make you
fear some evil"
.'She did," answered the girl scorn-
fully, her dark eyes flashing; false
hood and treachery are evils. are they
not? She said they were about me-
falsehood on the lips l kissed, treach-
cry in the hearts trusted. Bah! how
foolish it is to give ones hand to such
a creature, and allow her to say such
things"
Zone never does so in faith"
laughed pretty golden-haired Beatrice
Laven, the cousin, who, being or
phaned and penniless, owed all things
to the wealthy and generous Inez.
''And why not, my beautiful ladye"
asked the old crone, who had followed
Inez, and paused near. ''Is it that
you doubt, because my eyes might
pierce the mask you wear, and my
lips might speak of the arts you use,
by which you make man false to his
plighted word, and plunge into the
heart OF one who has been kind to you
dagger keen enough to slay herP
Your fair face is pale, lady, and your
blue eyes are full of fear; yet you paled
not when you stole out to meet an
others atfianced husband. and you
feared not that he who was won in
falsehood would be as false some day
to yourself. All, blue-eyed beauty
with the trnitOrous heart, will you let
me read the lines of your hand and
warn you?
Beatrice shrank under tho eyes of
the seeress, and clung to Roy's arm.
her fair face deathly in its whiteness.
.She is horribleI Let us go, faltered
the rose-leaf lips.
And the crone laughed as they went
slowly away from her through the sun
light.
pride, and love, and treachery,
and falsehoodr' muttered the gypsy.
''Of such things can prophesy to all,
and never speak amiss. But for this
fair beauty, and the man beside her
4 was abroad last night. and they
did not see me, as they talked of love
which must be kept secret. Bah!
such love must die, as die the roses.
| read all human hearts, and they
give me gold, thinking l read the
stars"
Meanwhile, through the scents of the
Maytime went the three, and Roy whis-
pered a low word to Beatrice which
1nez did not hear.
Untroubled by the crone's predic-
tions, with faith as strong as the love
| in her proud true heart, Inez never
| dreamed of suspecting that her lover $
whispers could be tbut stricken air,
or that the hearts she leaned on and
fully trusted planned their treachery
at her very side.
| Roy fingered at the stately home OF
Inez until the moon was high, and she
| accompanied him down the steps, and
part way to the gate that divided theil
| fathers lands.
| There, in the clear light of the full
May moon, they said goodnight, and
she stood watching him as he went
until the shadows hid him from her.
/ my love-my kingly loyal love!
she murmured.
Then a sudden thought came-sht
had not told him of certain plan fol
the morrow, formed by herself ant
Beatrice.
She would fit after him, glide up tt
him ere he reached the gate-slip he
hand in his, and laugh at his glad sur
prise.
With light feet she hurried after
reached the shadows which had en-
folded him. passed through them ant
paused, like startled doe, on thei
edge, fierce incredulous scorn grow
ing in her eyes. her proud face blanch
ing, swiftly, sharply, as blanch tn
faces of those smitten suddenly to tn
heart.
He stood before her, only few fee
away-her lover, her promised hus
band-with slight white-clad tigur
in his arms, dainty golden head, un
coYered to the moOnbeams, nestlin
close to his heart, while her cousin
red lips laughed merrily up at hin
and her cousins white hand held bac
his face from hers.
s.Nay," Inez heard the girlish voic
say, with the laugh in it, ''you sha
not kiss me. The gypsy said you woul
be as false to me, some day, as yo
are now to Inez."
| ANU Ou ) ON, AAO
made me chafe against my bondae
until am willing to free myself
any way, at any cost, for your sakel
The Girl in the shadows heard it a
heard, and made no sign. The loN
of long years, of her youth, was dyin;
but dying as the strong die, in silence
The faith that had lived in her heaI
for this man was breaking as brea
the gossamers of the spiders weavin
in the storm. bnt she gave no CT.
r made no sound, only stood, heart-sie
and soul-wounded. on the very edge
the shadows.
IF Insz heard you say that, / thir
she would set you free!' laughed Be
trice.
And Inez, with sudden hardl
drawn breath crossing her whitent
lips, advanced till she stood besiC
! them.
You are right, my cousin, she sa
unwaveringly. II have heard, and
set him free-free of all things save Il
reproach I must ever feel for an act
lie. Here, Royp'
She drew off and extended towar
him the ring with which he had pligt
~